A rotating cone drill bit has a body that is typically manufactured from three head sections welded to each other. Each head section has a bit leg with a depending bearing pin for supporting a rotating cone. As the bit turns, the cones rotate to disintegrate the earth formation.
Hardfacing has been applied to portions of the drill bit for many years to resist abrasion. In the prior art, the hardfacing is normally applied to the teeth and gage surfaces of the cones. Also, hardfacing is normally applied to the shirttail of each bit leg. The shirttail is a curved lower end of each bit leg. The hardfacing may also extend upward along one of the leading edges from the shirttail portion for a certain distance.
The bit legs have outer surfaces that are arcuate segments of a cylinder having a diameter slightly less than the gage diameter of the bit. In the prior art, abrasion resistant inserts may be inserted into holes along certain portions of the outer surface to resist abrasion. Typically, these inserts are made of tungsten carbide. While satisfactory, in highly abrasive areas, such as hard sandstones, the supporting metal around each insert may erode so much that the inserts fall out, resulting in extensive wear of the bit body and bit leg failure.